MIRPUR, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh secured its first one-day international series win over Australia on Thursday.
A 2 1/2-hour rain delay forced a revised DLS target of 192 in 41 overs, and Bangladesh reached 195-5 with six overs to spare to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” batter Najmul Hossain Shanto said. “The way we played this series, we showed a lot of courage. We have been working really hard for the last few months, and we wanted to improve our game. I’m really proud to be part of this team.”
The depleted Australians started the match losing three wickets without a run on the board. Half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne (55 not out) and Xavier Bartlett (52) bailed them out to 187-8 in 42 overs.
Opening batter Soumya Sarkar, the only change Bangladesh made from the team that won the first game by 86 runs, and Shanto made 42 runs each, while Towhid Hridoy was unbeaten on 40 off 55 balls.
Shanto had a nervy start but steadied the chase with a stand of 86 runs with Sarkar. Shanto edged Riley Meredith behind to give the fast bowler his first ODI wicket in five years following his recall.
Bangladesh wobbled at 144-5 in the 27th over, but Hridoy and captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz shared an unbeaten 51-run stand to clinch the historic series result.
“Bangladesh have outplayed us so far in this series, so congratulations to them,” Australia captain Josh Inglis said.
Just before the end, Mehidy took a blow to the helmet from a Nathan Ellis delivery and dropped to his knees and vomited. Mehidy spurned a stretcher and was allowed to continue. He hit the winning runs, a six over fine leg. Shanto suggested he was taken to the hospital afterward for observation.
Australia chose to bat first, and Matthew Short was out for his third consecutive duck in ODIs, followed by Cooper Connolly and Renshaw, also out for ducks. It was only the fourth time in ODI history that a team started 3-0.
Left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman (3-27) and Taskin Ahmed (3-33) took the wickets, and Mustafizur also had Alex Carey caught at point. When Inglis holed out at deep cover, Australia had lost half its wickets for 68 runs.
Labuschagne, who dropped to No. 7 in the lineup, and Bartlett revived Australia with a 103-run partnership. Labuschagne’s first ODI fifty in 14 innings came after he should have been run out on 1, but Tanvir Islam missed the stumps.
The third and final game will be at the same Mirpur venue on Sunday.
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